Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-24

different phases of character. Also
now, and for almost two months more,
there would be the Kaleidoscope of
fashionable life to watch at a distance.
This movement Of gayety was Just far
enough away to amuse without IA
tiguing. II some unutterably fasci-
mating belle came to US for a glass of
water we could examine her more
nearly, while she examined us.
Just now we had also a visit to which
10 look forward, or we did have until
we heard Maria James words this
morning. When Randy Rankin had
left us the day she had called, she had
given us a special invitation to spend
a day with her in the following week.
She named Wednesday, for on that
day the baker came along the ridge
here by the shore and then went over
to the Two-Mile. She was confident
he would let us go with him. But we
had said we would go across Salt Pond
in our boat, then hire horse and car
riage at one of the hotels on ''the
road" This arrangement had greatly
shocked her, as being extravagant in
the extreme. She said they were mon
strous dear Mt them liv'ries. We prom
ised after her remonstrances that if
the wind should be in the east we could
venture tn walk from the road. Thus
the matter was left. For some reason,
we hardly knew why, Mrs. Rankin
had interested us greatly; we were
very desirous of making that visit.
Mrs. Yates remained silent so long
that we asked her about Mr.. Rankin.
Was he ill? Instead Of replying she
went on from where she had left off.
"Wall, old Rankin-though lie want
old then-didn't have his wife but
year. She had one child, John, that
lives under the cliff yender, and died
in two months after. Lucky for her
and good 'nough for him, say He
was edgin up to Randy Sherman in
les'n six months, pleasant rs barsket
Of chips, jest as he always is. tell
you, you en- hev some hopes of II man
or woman as sometimes rares up and
is mad, and gifts in the wrong, and is
sorry. But when you find one that's
always in the right and never gives in,
look out, l tell ye! Randy Sherman
was teachin' school in that very same
schoolhouse where Mr.. Rankin lives
now when he began to shine up to her.
l s'pose she thought he was sweeter
nor honey. Anyway. she married
him, and 1 don't reckon she's seen
many happy days sence. Women is
fools! Fools, l say"
Maria Jane made such violent ges-
ture that the peas fell out of her lap
and rolled over the floor. Max rose
slowly from under the bed and cas-
ually ate all the peas he could find.
"Most everybody blames Randy, of
course. They say there never was
pleasanter man to git along with than
Mr.. Rankin. There's only few as
has kind of sense of what he really
is. Wall, whatever he is, he's got to
furl his sails now, for do believe, as
l said, that the Lords goin' to take
him. He's sick, and Randy, soon's
she heard of it, which was night be-
fere last, was gone over to nuss him.
She's wuth fifty of him, say"
Evidently we should not spend the
day at present with Mrs. Rankin.
The story that Mrs. Yates had told
kept in our minds. The next after
noon an least turn" came up, so that
it was really cold sitting out in front.
We started out for walk along the
cliff road, which winds along above the
sea and close to it. Carriages were |
whirling by us and the dust flew. By
this time we knew just where were the
different routes of the public vehicles,
charges" they call them here. We
suddenly decided to take "barge,"
which went within quarter of mile |
of that schoolhouse where the Rankins |
were.
Alighting, we walked through a
small patch of sweet fern that sent up
to us its odor of wild and rock past
ures. We were on hill and the ocean,
gray and misty in its east turn, was
before us. There was the building we
sought, alone, its old red paint nearly
worn off, its whole aspect desolate.
Now that we were here we suddenly
felt that we might be intruding. We
sat down in bed of sweet fern
''sweet fern" they call it here, and the
boys sometimes dry its leaves and
make cigars of them.
Presently we heard a sound at the
door, and, looking, saw the gaunt
form of Randy Rankin standing there.
Her face was turned away from us
and toward the water. Her dark ging-
ham gown hung straight down. She
had her hands clasped tightly before
her, and she suddenly flung them up
ward. There was not house in
sight-a fog was setting fast over
everything,
Turning to ~o back in the house, she
SAY It's and started. Then she recog-
nized us. We rose and she stepped
out in the tall grass about the old, fiat
stepstone.
''pm mighty glad you've come," she
said hoarsely. Il didn't dare leave
him, and / did wish somebody was
here"
Her scraggy face was perfectly pal
lid. She had not slept since she came
to the place.
''How is hep" we whispered.
Hes goin' fast. l don't expect
he'll last more'n to the turnin' of the
tide, and that's at eighteen minutes
past tonight I've just ben a-lookin'
into his almanac to find out; it's COM
in in quick, amt it? just listen"
We did not need to listen. The roar
of water dashing over rocks, sucking
up through chasms, and pounding on
lodges was plain enough to hear. 1t